Tuesday, December 18, 2012

I wasn't too sure about reading this book, it sounded interesting but the reviews already posted were less than positive. I gave it a shot anyway (hey I needed a book for this color and the year is nearly over!). It seemed similar to quite a few dystopian novels already out but it has it's own feel.

The point of view goes back and forth between Ash and Natalie, each narrating full chapters at a time. Towards the end it's a quick back and forth of the same events which adds a punch to the unfolding scene. This really worked for me, I was very choked up while reading the end of the book (which is the reason for my initial response above!).

I will be reading the other books in the series, I need to know how this story plays out. Even though it was similar to other novels, I still got pulled in by the characters and I really wanted to know what happens to them. The love triangle with Ash, Natalie and Evangeline, was a little weird but not a complete turn off. The world building was nice and Elizabeth Richards even gives a good reason why Ash's heart (think unbeating vampire heart) doesn't beat but he's still functioning.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

I first heard of Marcus Samuelsson when he competed on Top Chef Masters. That was right around the time, I started to become addicted to The Food Network and other cooking show/channels. It was the start of my journey on the road towards mini-foodie. This was a look at Marcus' life and the road he took to get where he is now. It's a great look at the life of a chef especially one of color who has had a hard road to travel.

The book is really descriptive in the details of the food and taste experiences. I wanted to be rollerblading (even though you wouldn't ever catch me on a pair) through NYC and trying the different foods from all the cultures that make up the city. When he talks about Ethiopian food, I'm back in grad school (1st time) and we're headed to the Ethiopian restaurant for some Doro Wat (mmm yummy).

Monkey Mind is a term used by Buddhist to describe an unsettled mind. It perfectly describes the mind of a person who battles anxiety. If you deal with anxiety on a regular basis, and it doesn't have to be anything too extreme, you have probably experienced an unsettled mind. I experience mine at night, when all I want to do is fall asleep and all my mind wants to do is play back the days events, or that time in college when...or that time when I did... It can be a long night when that happens.

In Monkey Mind, Daniel Smith recounts his battles with anxiety and tries to pinpoint the cause of his unsettled mind. He talks about his struggles with living with high anxiety and its effects on his job and his love life. It was hard to get through the beginning of this book, but once you get past the tough stuff (rape) I really started to connect with his experiences.

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I recommend both of these if you want a short, interesting memoir to read!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus

by Adam C. English

I saw a link for the book trailer in The Shelf Awareness Pro newsletter for Tuesday, December 4th. After watching the trailer and reading the description thought of The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn. I enjoyed reading those and I would really like to know more about St. Nicholas. I have the book on hold now just to wait to read it!

The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra

With his rosy cheeks and matching red suit—and ever-present elf and reindeer companions—Santa Claus may be the most identifiable of fantastical characters. But what do we really know of jolly old Saint Nicholas, "patron saint" of Christmastime? Ask about the human behind the suit, and the tale we know so well quickly fades into myth and folklore.

In The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus, religious historian Adam English tells the true and compelling tale of Saint Nicholas, bishop of Myra. Around the fourth century in what is now Turkey, a boy of humble circumstance became a man revered for his many virtues. Chief among them was dealing generously with his possessions, once lifting an entire family out of poverty with a single—and secret—gift of gold, so legend tells. Yet he was much more than virtuous. As English reveals, Saint Nicholas was of integral influence in events that would significantly impact the history and development of the Christian church, including the Council of Nicaea, the destruction of the temple to Artemis in Myra, and a miraculous rescue of three falsely accused military officers. And Nicholas became the patron saint of children and sailors, merchants and thieves, as well as France, Russia, Greece, and myriad others.

Weaving together the best historical and archaeological evidence available with the folklore and legends handed down through generations, English creates a stunning image of this much venerated Christian saint. With prose as enjoyable as it is informative, he shows why the life—and death—of Nicholas of Myra so radically influenced the formation of Western history and Christian thought, and did so in ways many have never realized.Baylor Press